Ice cube tray



May 3, 1949. c, FQLLlN 2,469,067

ICE CUBE TRAY Filed June 2, 1947 INVENTQR. Co rrzebws Marv/n Fol/1 rz,

Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ice cube trays. An object of the invention is the provision of an ice cube tray which may be fitted onto an identical tray for increasing the capacity of the ice Cube freezing compartment, the tray being so constructed that individual cups are sus-- pended through openings in a flat top of the tray so that one or any number of cups may be lifted from the tray as desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an ice cube tray in the form of a frame-work which has a flat top provided with a series of openings and depending side flanges forming supports for the top, said top having parallel grooves which are adapted to receive the bottom edges of the side flanges of a superimposed framework, cups being received by the openings with an annular flange projecting laterally from the periphery of the upper end of each cup for supporting the cups on the flat top, said cups being removable individually from said tray and compressible to remove the ice cubes from said cups.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an ice cube tray in the form of a framework which has a flat top provided with a series of rectangular openings for the reception of cups, each cup having a peripheral flange resting on those portions of the top which immediately surround said openings, the top being supported by depending side flanges or legs with the bottom edges of said side flanges resting on the floor of the usual ice cube freezing compartment of a refrigerator so that the bottom edges will have merely a pair of relatively thin line contacts with said floor whereby the trays may be stacked in pairs or more in the compartment, as height will allow.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an improved ice cube tray.

Figure 2 is an end view in elevation of a pair of stacked trays, and

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of a single tray, showing one cup in an operative position in the tray.

Figure 4 is a modified form of tray.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that an ice cube tray is illustrated in the form of a framework H], which may be constructed of suitable metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel. Said frame may be molded from any of the well-known plastics or other material.

The frame-work includes a flat top I l which is provided with a plurality of openings [2. These openings are preferably rectangular for obtaining a greater ice cube volume. However, said openings may be made circular, hexagonal, elliptical, or otherwise. Said top is provided at the front end with a curved and forwardly projecting flange l3 which not only reinforces the tray but which may be employed for removing the tray from the usual ice cube freezing compartment of a refrigerator. A depending flange I4 is relatively narrow.

The framework is carried on a support, as the floor of the ice cube freezing compartment, by depending side flanges or legs [5 and I6. These side flanges or legs are formed integrally with the top by stamping a piece of metal or by molding when a plastic is used. Elongated reinforcements i1 forming thickened projections stiffen the side flanges. Said reinforcements are either stamped in the metal or are molded as an integral part of said flanges.

It will be noted from Figure 1 that the front flange !3 is connected to the side flanges l5 and It by a narrow strip 20 depending from the side edges of the top ll. As shown in Figure 3, the narrow rear depending flange I4 is connected at its ends to the rear end edges of the side flanges l5 and [6. These connections aid in strengthening the side flanges when acting as supports for the trays.

The top H is provided with a pair of parallel grooves i8 adjacent the side edges thereof. The grooves of a top of one tray are adapted to receive the thin bottom edges 2| of a pair of the side flanges I5 and N5 of a superimposed tray I0a as shown in Figure 2. In this way, a pair or more of trays may be accommodated by the usual cell or ice cube freezing compartment of a refrigerator where only one tray is noW employed, thus increasing the capacity of the freezing compartment. It is to be understood that the height of the trays will be such as to permit of the insertion of a pair or more of the trays into the freezing compartment in superimposed relation.

A cup 25 is inserted in each opening l2 of the top H and loosely mounted therein so that the cups may be removed readily. These cups or individual cells have a relatively thick annular flange 26 at the upper open end thereof. The flanges rest upon the upper surface of the top I l adjacent the peripheries of the openings l2 for supporting the cups in the frame-work H). The

thick flanges 26 provide a satisfactory gripping medium for the fingers of the operator when removing the cups. Said cups may be made of stainless steel, aluminum or certain rubbers, but they are made preferably from one of the wellknown plastics. The side walls and the bottoms of the cups are relatively thin and tapered so that when pressure is applied to the bottoms of the cups said bottoms will flex and the frozen cubes will be readily expelled from said cups. In the modified form of tray shown in Figure 4 the flanges of the tray may be formed with upward raised portions 26 upon which the cups may rest.

Instead of placing the cups in pairs as shown in the drawings, the transverse Openings I2 in the top H may be combined into a single opening with the cups being enlarged accordingly to fit a single opening for the preparation of frozen desserts. Thus will be seen that the individual cups may be employed for freezing ice cubes, popcicles, aspics, flavored gelatines, ice cream and other foods.

By this construction one may select any number of ice cubes without the necessity of discharging the entire tray. Furthermore, due to the thin edge contact between the flanges I and I6 and the floor of the ice cube freezing compartment or the top of an under tray when the trays are stacked, less force is necessary to break the trays loose from each other or from the floor because all broad contacts have been eliminated.

When the trays are disposed in superposed relation, the bottom of the cups 25 are spaced approximately one-quarter of an inch above the tops of the lower tray. This spacing provides for a sufficient circulation of air around the cups particularly since the outer side walls of the cups are spaced from the side flanges I5 and I6. Furthermore, the opposite ends of the framework are open to permit free circulation of air through all parts of the trays.

Where projections 26 are formed in top of the tray the cup flanges will rest on them thereby creating another source of circulation of air.

,It will be noted from Figures 2 and 3 that the legs or side flanges I5 and I6 are inclined inwardly so that the lower edges of the flanges will be closer together than the upper edges where they are integrally connected to the side edges of the top II. Said lower edges are in vertical alinement with the respective longitudinal grooves I8 in the top I I so that when a second tray is placed upon a lower tray, the grooves will not only guide the superimposed tray into position on the lower tray but will aid in retaining said superimposed tray in position. i

I claim:

1. An ice cube tray comprising a flat top provided with a series of openings therein, side flanges extending downwardly from the side edges of the top and forming a pair of spaced supports for said top, a flange projecting downwardly from each opposite end of the top for a short distance and connected at the ends thereof to the adjacent ends of the side flanges, cups received by the openings and means on the cups engageable with the top for retaining said cups suspended in said openings, said top having a pair of longitudinally extended parallel grooves adapted to slidably receive the lower edges of the side flanges of a superimposed tray when a pair of trays are placed in an ice cube freezing compartment of a refrigerator.

2. An ice cube tray comprising a flat top provided with a series of openings therein, spaced legs retaining the top above a support and projecting downwardly from the side edges of the top, a narrow depending flange at each end of the top and connected to the adjacently disposed portions of the legs, said top having longitudinal grooves to slidably receive the free ends of the legs of a second tray superimposed upon the first tray, cups received by the openings and means on the cups for retaining said cups suspended from the top.

3. An ice cube tray comprising a top provided with a series of openings therein, raised portions being formed in said top spaced around said openings, side flanges extended downwardly from the sides of the top and forming a pair of spaced supports for said top, cups received by the openings, said cups having a circumscribin flange engageable with the raised portions of said top for suspending the cups in spaced relation to the top.

4. An ice cube tray comprising a flat top provided with a series of openings therein, said flanges extending downwardly from the side edges of the top and forming a pair of spaced supports for said top, said top having a pair of longitudinally extended parallel grooves, the lower edges of the side flanges being relatively thin so that said flanges will have substantially a line contact With the grooves of a tray therebeneath whereby the trays may be removed slidably without the use of force, a flange projecting downwardly from each opposite end of the top for a short distance and connected to the ends thereof to the adjacent ends of the side flanges, cups received by the openings and means on the cups engageable with the top for retaining said cups suspended in said openings.

CORNELIUS MARVIN FOLLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,592,066 Barnes July 13, 1926 1,638,388 Spreen Oct. 23, 1928 1,739,895 Gamble Dec. 17, 1929 1,873,081 Von Witaki Aug. 23, 1932 

